Hidden potential: Supporting growth in Sunderland and similar cities

Paul Swinney Centre for Cities

Sunderland’s pattern of spatial development has been surprising…

…and business movements have reflected this pattern

City centre still has the most private sector jobs, but only just

Price doesn’t seem to be a factor in business location decisions…

…but weak demand doesn’t appear to be the driver of this

The weak urban core has wider implications

Lack of career progression is stark

A reconfiguration of the urban core is required

Principles of City Deals

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Need to “demonstrate strong, visible and accountable leadership and effective decision making structures”

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Have to take on a greater degree of the risk

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Have to work across their natural economic footprint with neighbouring local authorities

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Have to show that they can either deliver better outcomes for the same spend (or less) or deliver the same outcomes more efficiently if powers and spending are devolved to a city level.

1. Support for office development

2. Short term office space provision

3. Transport and 4. Skills

Implications for wave 2

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There are likely to be efficiencies in dealing with cities facing common issues and similar economic performance

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Mid-size cities are more likely to require public sector intervention to support future growth

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A key issue for mid-size cities is the strength of their urban core. The creation of a mid-size cities investment fund could help address this

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But the philosophy City Deals have been set out as bespoke arrangements with individual cities – a grouping should act as a way in, rather than a ‘batch processing’